Toilet kit



March 2, 1954 S.BENNER 2,670,776

TOILET KIT Filed Nov. 26 1951 W WI, 1 22/ I I 11v ENTOR. I W 17mm BY fibwz 777014422 Patented Mar. 2, i954 TOILET KIT Samuel Benner, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Benner Leather Goods 00., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 26, 1951, Serial No. 258,118

Claims. (01. 15052) 1 This invention relates to improvements in toilet kits,.and moreparti-cularly to travel article travel kits having semi-telescopic wall portions. Travel toilet kits customarily fall into either of two categories. One type of travel toilet kit is the cigar-box type of container which is' of.

rectangular form with rigid side Walls and a flat rigid hinged cover. This type of kit has'certain advantages in respect to retaining its form and giving complete access to the interior of thekit when the cover is opened but it also has disadvantages, one of which is the inability of the kit to give or flex in accordance with the extent to which it has been filled in packing or to adapt itself to a limited space with a packed suitcase or the like.

The other main form of travel toilet kit is the type having flexible side walls. This type of toilet kit can flex or distort, collapse or expand,,in.

flexible walls, iandif the side wallsbecomedistorted the cover may not-seat or closeproperly. CWith the above in mind, itis a'primary object of the-present invention to provide atoilet kit of extremely 1 unique and attractive appearance having the major advantages of both of the before-mentioned prior types of toilet kits, with-. out the disadvantages-thereof. l

LSpecifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a travel toilet kit wherein the major portion of the b'odyoith'e" kit'has rigid side walls to give form and stability to the kit, while the cover ishingedly carried by a telescopic or flexible neck portion which can collapse or expand relative to the major body portion of the kit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a travel toilet kit of the character described wherein that portion of the body of the kit which hingedly carries the cover and the latch strap telescopes or collapses within the outline of the rigid walled lower portion or" the case to thereby protect various connections and seams.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet kit which will retain its general shape but which can be compacted slightly to more readily fit within an available space in a piece o' f luggage or which can telescopically expand to accommodate bulky toilet articles Within the kit or slight over-packing thereof.

2 A further object of the. invention is to provide a semi-Icollapsible, toilet kit' .which," upon being collapsed or squeezed, will not result in permanent distortion of its shape or breakage of the rigid wall portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet kit which is of very simple construction, which is-unique and attractive in appearance, which,when open, gives ready access to toilet articles thereimwhich is st'rongand durable, and which is well adapted for the purposes described. With the above and other objects in View, the invention .consists of the improvedtoilet kit, and its parts. and combinations as set forthinthe claims, and all equivalents thereof. lln'fthei accompanying drawing in which .the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a plan View of the .improved toilet kit in closed condition; a Fig. 2. is. an end, view of .the closed toilet. kit. in its semi-collapsed,conditiom, 1. Fig., 3,is. anend. viewofthe closed toilqtkit with the. upper portionofthebody eXnandedrela; tiveto the lower rigidbodyportion;-... i .Fig. .4. is. .a' transverse. vertical. sectionalgview, takenonline 4 .4 of Fig. l and on a larger-scale with the. body .n ne xpan ed; and a Fig, 5 is an enlarged .f.ra mentary detail sec.- tionalgview, taken on line 5+5. ,of-lFig. .1 with the. kit'bodyinnon-expandedcondition,, Referring. now more particularly to the .draw--' ing it will appear that thetoilet kit orcontainer. is of rectangular. contour and the major or. lower portion of the'body his rigid side andend walls 8 and .9 respectively. Said side and end walls of the. rigid lower portion of the container body are preferably formed of a continuous strip of board or. sheet material such as "cardboardarr'anged in. rectangular form and covered exteriorly by a layer In of leather, plastic or other suitable sheet material. The bottom of the container is formed by a pair of rectangularly shaped superimposed .stif fening plies H and 12 respectively of cardboard or a like material which embrace therebetween' the turned-in lower edge portions of the exterior covering layer I It and also the turned-Fin peripheral portions of a similar bottom outer layer I3 of leather, fabric, plasticora like material. Stitching or other securing means (not shown) may join the various plies and layers ll, 12, Ill and I3. V

The upper or neck portion of the body of the container or kit, which is collapsible, is formed 3 by an upper continuous extension of the flexible leather lower body layer, and said extension, designated I is devoid of stiffening or reinforcing material except at the extreme upper extremity where said layer I0 is turned over and secured to enclose a rectangular rigid reinforcing frame The innerface of the rigid bottom H-IZ carries a, sheet or layer l5 of a flexible lining fabric and the same fabric is loosely secured in covering relation to the inner surfaces of the rigid side and end walls 8 and 9 and the flexible upper neck extensions It, as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The securement of, the inner lining relative to the rigid and non-rigid portions of the body walls is such that said lining may fold upon itself when the non-rigid neck portion of the body is telescoped into the rigid portion of the body, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

An elongated hinge strip it of leather or other mafierialmatehing the material [0, l0 and I3 extends from the inner edge of a rigid rectangular cover member I] to overlap the adjacent flexibleneck extension of the rear side 8 of the body and is sewed thereto by stitching l8 below the frame M with the stitching being disposed within the pocket adjacent the periphery of the upper ed e. Of; the rigid body portion when the body isin its non-extended condition. The rigid cover is generally formed in the same manner as the bottom and includes a pair of superimposed stiffening p1ies,22 and I9, and an outer flexible layer 2| of leather or the like. The superimposed" rigid plies 22 and I9 are of sumcient size to extend beyond the reinforcing frame lj, when the cover is closed. These plies carry an inner rigidply 2D to seat within the reinforcing frame M when the cover is closed.

Mqnntedr centrally on the outer face of the cover member H is a female member of a latch or clasp 23 formed of metal releasably receiving the clasp male member 24, also of metal. A flexible latchstrap or flap 25 of leather or other similar material matching the covering material of the case has its, front margin overlapping the adjacent flexible neck extension of the front side 8 of the, body and is sewed thereto by stitching 26 below the rigid frame Min a manner so that said stitching is disposed within the, pocket adjacent theperiphery of theupper edge of the rigid body portion when the flexible neck extension of the body is collapsed relative to. the rigid portion, of the body. The inner edge of said latch strap. or, flap 2,5. and the inner end of a handle strap 21 are-both secured to, and carry the latch or clasp element 24. The-other end of the handle strap 21 is secured to the forward edge of the bottom of the case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The result of this arrangement is that when the latchelements Z3 and 2,4 are engaged, the rigidcover i! will be held in its closed condition and the handle strap 21 may be engaged to facilitate, manual carrying of the closed case or kit. When the latch, elements 23 and 2,4 are disengaged, the flap 25 and strap 2,! may be swung forwardly and the cover I! of the kit may be opened to any desired, degree to expose the interlor of the toilet kit.

Dueto the fact that the major portion of the side walls of. the body of the kit or container are rigid or stiffened, the same will maintain their form, and adequately define the shape of the kit. If the kit is not packed to capacity when h co e s clos d. and if he, ki i Subject to the body may collapse from the extended position of Fig. 3, wherein the case has its maximum capacity, to the collapsed 0r telescoped condition of Figs. 2, 4 and 5. In the latter position the lining and flexible neck material may fold within the case as shown and, if the packed case is within tightly cramped quarters in a suitcase or piece of luggage, the pressure thereagainst will be relieved by the telescoping of the flexible neck extension Ill to prevent damage to and distortion of the case walls.

In the telescoped condition of the case the lines of stitching for the hinge strip and clasp flap are within the well formed inwardly of the upper periphery of the rigid body section and are protected. The frame 14, at the upper edge of the neck, is located above and within the outline of the outwardly bowed portions of the upper margih of the rigid sides and ends 8 and 9 but resting on top of the latter at the corners of the kit as is clear from Fig. 1 and supports the rigid top H.

The improved toilet kit is semi-adjustable as to capacity but has suflicient rigidity throughout to maintain its box-like formation, is neat and attractive in appearance, may be opened readily to afford complete access to the interior of the kit, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What I claim as the invention is:

1. A container, comprising a rigid rectangular bottom, rigid side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom, a collapsible and extensible flexible neck forming an upward extension of said side and end walls, a frame reinforcing the upper end of said neck, the space between said rigid walls being open and said neck being partially collapsible into said space to project downwardly below the upper edges of said rigid side and end walls with said frame of such size that portions of said frame engage upper portions of said Walls to limit the collapsing, and a flat rigid cover hinged along one edge to a portion of said neck and resting on said frame when in closed position.

2. A container, comprising a rigid rectangular bottom, rigid side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom, a collapsible and extensible flexible, neck forming an upward extension of said side and end walls, said neck being partially collapsible within said side and end walls, a frame reinforcing the upper end of said neck, a flat rigid cover engageable with said frame in closed position, a flexible hinge strip depending from a side edge of said cover, means securing said hinge strip to said neck, a latch strap depending from an opposite side edge of said cover, and means securing said latch strap to said neck, the securing means for the hinge strip and latch strap relative to the neck both being inwardly of and protected by rigid wall portions thereadjacent when the neck is collapsed within said walls.

3. A container, comprising a rigid rectangular bottom, rigid side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom, a collapsible and extensible flexible neck forming an upward extension of said said and end Walls, a frame reinforcing the upper end of said neck, the space between said rigid walls being open and said neck being partially collapsible into said space to project downwardly below the upper edges of said rigid side and end walls with said frame of such size that corner portions of saidframe engage upper corner portions of said walls to limitthe collapsing, and a any pr s re the xib e neck extension, f 1.6 fi t rigid cover hingeda gns ne dge t a e 1:

tion of said neck and resting on said frame when in closed position.

4. A container, comprising a rigid rectangular bottom, rigid side and end walls extending upwardly' therefrom, a collapsible and extensible flexible neck forming an upward extension of said side and end walls, said neck being partially collapsible within said side and end walls, a frame reinforcing the upper end of said neck, a flat rigid cover engageable with said frame in closed position, a flexible hinge strip depending from a center portion of a side edge of said cover, means securing said hinge strip to said neck, a latch strap depending from the center portion of an opposite side edge of said cover, and means securing said latch strap to said neck, said rigid side walls being bowed outwardly at the center to accommodate portions of said hinge strip and latch strap between said rigid wall portions and a portion of said flexible neck when the container is collapsed.

5. A container, comprising a rigid rectangular bottom, rigid side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom, a collapsible and extensible flexible neck forming an upward extension of said side and end walls, said neck being partially collapsible within said side and end walls, a frame reinforcing the upper end of said neck, a flat rigid cover engageable with said frame in closed position, a flexible hinge strip depending from a center portion of a side edge of said cover, means securing said hinge strip to said neck, a latch strap depending from the center portion of an opposite side edge of said cover, and means securing said latch strap to said neck, said rigid side walls being bowed outwardly at the center to accommodate portions of said hinge strip and latch strap between said rigid wall portions and a portion of said flexible neck when the container is collapsed, the corner portions of said rigid side and end walls being located to have their upper edges engaged by the corners of the frame for said flexible neck to limit collapsing movement.

SAMUEL BENNER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 516,194 Freer Mar. 13, 1894 906,638 Lehman Dec. 15, 1908 1,283,170 Hauser Oct. 29, 1918 1,728,614 Kaye Sept. 17, 1929 1,999,064 Marks Apr. 23, 1935 2,123,454 Doppelt July 12, 1938 2,561,042 Arnold et al. July 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 74,848 Germany Oct. 25, 1918 

